When Kayla Filoon, a student who volunteers as a dog walker at an animal
shelter in Philadelphia, saw Russ the pit bull for the first time, she knew
there was a special connection between them. “He came in as a stray, and he was
really beat up,” Filoon told The Dodo. “He was missing fur on his tail and
ears. He was also terribly skinny.” The 20-year-old woman added: “He was just
sitting there calmly, staring at me… And I thought… I need to take him now.”

Filoon knew she needed to act fast, as recently the shelter had to put 15
dogs to sleep. “Any dog had a chance of being put down, especially the ones who
were sicker, and Russ was definitely one of them,” said the woman.

So, the next day, she went straight to the shelter and sorted out the
adoption papers. “One night I’m sitting there on the chair, doing my homework,
and he’s trying to find ways to cuddle with me,” Filoon said. Her friend
snapped a photo, put it on social media – and it went viral. “He’s such a love
bug, honestly.”

Filoon hopes the photo will inspire others to adopt shelter dogs.

When Kayla Filoon, a volunteer dog walker at a
shelter, saw Russ the pit bull for the first time…

She knew they will be together. “He came in as a
stray, and he was really beat up”

“He was missing fur on his tail and ears. He was
also terribly skinny”

“He was just sitting there calmly, staring at
me… And I thought… I need to take him now”

Filoon knew she needed to act fast, as recently
the shelter had to put 15 dogs to sleep

“Any dog had a chance of being put down… and
Russ was definitely one of them”